Following screen for windows



April 22, 1941. J. B. SCHMIDT FOLLOWING SCREEN FOR WINDOWS 2 Sheets-Sheet l 9a 9 /o Elf/ 51 Filed June 21. 1939 x II II... I X l l I w\ w Z \T//%4 \V v m 3 ATTORNEYS April 22, 1941.

J. B. SCHMIDT FOLLOWING SCREEN FOR WINDOWS Filed June 21. 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M .1 01W 6M8 m s W m/m m rm A a n J m a v 0 a m 4 Patented Apr. 22, 1941 John B. Schmidt, Kent, Wash, assignor of onehalf to Carl Brandstetter, Kent, Wash.

Application June 21, 1939, Serial No. 280,429

(or. 15s 14) 4 Claims.

My present invention relates to the art of window construction and more particularly to a following screen for windows.

My invention consists essentially of providing a screen such as the ordinary fly screen which is formed as part of the window frame so that it will move within the double hung window in a manner to cover the opening provided when the window is raised or lowered. This broad idea, it is realized, is not new.- The features of novelty of this present application, however, reside in the means employed so to form the screen as an integral part of the window that the window opening can be sealed when the window is closed so as to effectively close the same against the entrance of rain, snow, or wind. In addition to these objects, provision is made so to house in and protect my screen that even though the screen may be in an mid.-

adjusted position, insects and the like are definitely denied entrance. In so many structures of this type the insects may go down the screen to the bottom of the same and come up on the opposite side into the dwelling. My means for preventing this action is considered a very essential feature, inasmuch as the principal use of a screen is to keep such insects out, and a screen fails in its purpose if it does not positively exclude them. 1

A further object of my invention is to so arrange my screens that they require but very little additional material at the time the window frames and the window sashes are being made, to the end that they add but little to the cost of the windows and the frames and can be supplied as a complete unit so that any carpenter, whether familiar with the structure or not, can easily install the same in a manner to insure their proper functioning.

A further object achieved by my present construction is the provision of a window assembly which at any position denies entrance to the dwelling, as by a sneak thief or the like.

Other and more specific objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is an elevation showing how my window appears as viewed from the outside of the house.

Figure 2 is a vertical, sectional view taken as along the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken in the same sense and only slightly modified from Figure excepting an upper screen is also shown.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the window frame and sash with my screen installed when made after the showing of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing a lower sash complete with my screen.

Figure 7 is a perspective view, partly in section, showing one of the insect excluding means employed with my device.

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, throughout which like reference characters indicate like parts, l0 generally designates the frame of a conventional double hung window assembly. This consists of the side members l2 and M, the top member It, the weather sill l8, and the outside casing 20. The usual inside trim is used as the main frame 2|, 22, and the inside sill 24. These parts follow the conventional window construction, excepting that the side members 12 and M are provided with downwardly extending extensions as 26 and 21, respectively. And where windows'are used with top screens, corresponding upward extensions 28 are provided. Any conventional handling and securing means may be provided for the double hung windows. If weighting were used it would be of conventional type and has not been illustrated inasmuch as it forms no part of this present invention.

The preferred construction of the window sash is to provide that the side membersas 30 and 3| be provided with downwardly extending extensions of reduced thickness as 32 and 33. These members are inletted so as to form a binding or framing for screening 34. This screening should be of the type to serve the intended purpose. Normally, it is of the mesh to prevent the entrance of insects and this type of screen is known to the trade as fly screen. However, it may be desirable at times to use a heavier steel screen of larger mesh as a guard against sneak thieves and the like. The construction is the same in both cases, however, in that an upper framing member as 31 and a lower framing member 38 are employed to fully bind the edges and support the screen.

A modification is necessary in the lower crossmember of the window sash, as 40; this member must be provided with means for preventing the inroads of rain, snow, dust, or wind, as the window frame where it is reduced to support the screen must of necessity be a reasonably loose fit to guard against swelling and the like that might otherwise cause the window to become inoperative, and when the requisite looseness is provided, the window is not weathertight. To overcome this deficiency and to make this form of window truly practical, I have provided that the window sill l'8 be formed with the upwardly extending portion 42. The lower cross-member 40 of the sash must be provided with, as part of it or as a piece attached thereto, an overlapping lip member 44 which will have a routed-out portion adapted to form a firm engagement with portion 42 so that when the window sash is down as shown in Figure 2, a labyrinth seal is provided at this point which will make the window more weather tight than the conventional structure used with double hung windows.

A possible route of entry through a window of this type would occur when the window is raised and the screen brought into place. Onefeature that guards against the undesired entry of insects and the like is to provide that the inner wall construction 46 be a snug fit with the surfaces 48 and 49 of the window frame extensions 26 and 21. In this manner the backing wall d6 will at all times ride against the screen bottom cross member 38 and side bars 32 and 33 and thus prevent the encirclement of screen 34 by insects when the screen is in use.

It has been found, however, that it is sometimes difiicult to keep a tight engagement between cross-members 3B and the wall 46, and when this occurs insects can still work around the bottom of the screen. To guard against this I prefer to use a second guard member as 50, probably best illustrated in Figure 7 and in Figures 2 and 3. This guard member 56 is secured to the underside of the weather sill l8 and is made of a flexible material like very thin sheet copper such as is used for window stripping or the like or is made from flexible rubber or similar materials. It can rest upon the screen and as the cross-member 3-3 abuts it, the member 50 will be compressed between the member as and the sill, or the means employed in Figure 1 may be used when member 59 is of firm material such as galvanized iron or the "like. Under such conditions member 50 is slotted as indicated at 52, particularly in Figure 7, and is urged outwardly against the screen by the springs 54. As the window is moved upwardly so that cross-member 38 abuts member 56, the sloping surface at 56 will serve as a cam to force member 50 outwardly and permit the cross bar to fully fill the space between sill l8 and the backing wall 46 so that again a vermin proof guard is provided. In the form shown in Figure 3, I provide a stop as at 58 and 59 so as to limit the The foregoing description and the accompanying drawings are believed to clearly disclose a preferred embodiment of my invention, but it will be understood that this disclosure is merely illustrative and that such changes in the invention may be made as are fairly within the scope and spirit of the following claims:

1. An insect guard for a screen that is attached to a sliding window sash, said guard comprising a horizontally disposed member, means for slida'bly mounting said member on a portion of a window frame, and resilient means mounted on a stationary support for urging said member into frictional engagement with an adjoining face of the screen.

2. An insect guard for a screen having a beveled face and forming part of a sliding window sash, means for slidably mounting the guard on a portion of a window frame, said guard having a complementary beveled face for co-action with the first mentioned beveled face when the sash is raised, and means mounted on a stationary support and engaging the guard to urge the latter into frictional engagement with the adjoining face of the screen.

3. An insect guard for a screen having a horizontal beveled face and forming part of a slidable window sash, said guard including a slotted sheet metal plate and means for slidably mounting said plate on a portion of a window frame, said plate also having a complementary beveled face for co-action with the first mentioned beveled face when the sash is raised, and resilient means mounted on a stationary support and engaging the plate to urge the latter into frictional engagement with an adjoining face of the screen.

4. An insect guard for a screen having a horizontal beveled face and forming part of a'slidable window sash, said guard including a slotted sheet metal plate having a bent edge forming a complementary beveled face for co-action with the first mentioned face when the sash is raised, guide means co-acting with the slotted plate and fastened to the underside of a window sill to permit lateral movement of the plate, and a plurality of spring blades each having a stationary support at one end and engaging the plate to urge the latter into frictional engagement with an adjoining face of the screen.

JOHN B. SCHMIDT. 

